Once tagged by Classic Rock magazine as a ram-jam barrage of 50`s Rock `n` roll mania shot through with punk venom, His Lordship are essentially James Walbourne and drummer Kristoffer Sonne, who usually add Dave Page on bass when they hit the road. Their self-titled album was released in January and the fellas arrive in the second city at the tail end of a dozen dates across the country this month.
Tonight’s special guests are local outfit The Head Hunters who comprise of Jez Miller on guitar and vocals, Ray Birch on bass, Ozzie on drums and Martyn “Nelsta” Nelson on lead guitar. These fellas have pedigree and have between them served time in Damned/Lords of the New Church guitarist Brian James’ band and backed ex Heartbreaker Walter Lure, been part of the rhythm section in Birmingham’s Gunfire Dance and also King Adora and much loved the Black Bombers.
I’ve been trying to catch these guys for sometime but the last couple of dates have clashed with other stuff I`ve had on so I was really wired to finally see them. Their forty minute set offered something old, something new, something borrowed and ended with a track entitled `Blue`. We enjoyed numbers such as `Night Time`, `Cutaway`, and `Nowhere To Run, Nowhere To Hide`. They shared both sides of their cracking new seven inch single the blistering `Hour x Hour` and `You Got Me Hummin’`, a classic Gunfire Dance cut `Bliss Street` and a reflective Brian James inspired number `Ain`t that A Shame`. The latter numbers included the hypnotic `Bad Things Come In Twos`, the pulsing `Bird Dogging` before leaving us with the aforementioned `Blue`. I was really blown away with what was really two thousand, four hundred seconds of controlled raw energy where the bass drum almost gave you palpitations. The band have a show in London next month but are definitely a must see live and don’t disappoint.
There’s a kind of off kilter jazzy version of what sounds like `La Marseillaise` pumped through the pa as the trio in His Lordship hit the stage and crack out a pounding `I Live In The City` which lays a marker for what’s to follow. The frenetic pace continues with further tracks off the latest release with `All Cranked Up`, the chant like `I’m So Bored Of Being Bored` and latest single `Jackie Works For The NHS` which has a Clash like vibe and was written about a neighbour of James.
The oddly titled `Rock Fall Echo Dust` hints at the Stray Cats, before we enjoy a cover with the retro tinged `The Way I Walk` and punk like chugging grinding `Buzzkill`.
As the evening progresses drummer Kristoffer allows Dave to take over the reins while he sings and shares the rather odd `My Brother Is An Only Child` whilst standing on the drum riser. There are new songs such as `Weirdo` and a heartfelt tribute to Shane MacGowan, whom James played with in the Pogues with an instrumental eulogy which has yet to be titled. The fast paced quite rockabilly `Joy Boy` blasts out with some quite high pitched vocals that Russell Mael would be proud of along with a final extended instrumental, `Cat Call` before leaving us with `I Am In Amsterdam`.
The band return for a brief encore with a scorching cover of `Red Hot` a song written and recorded by Billy “The Kid” Emerson for Sun Records in 1955. It’s been nearly two years since i last saw His Lordship and tonight’s performance was every bit as frenzied and passionate as it was then. I suggest that you need to witness His lordship live to fully appreciate why they are one of the most explosive and exciting live acts to emerge from the UK in years.
Maximum rock’n’roll in its purest form.
